


Not Strong Enough

by YaoiLover66



Category: Final Fantasy X-2
Genre: Apocalyptica - Freeform, Baralai is sad, Based off a song, Dominant/Seme/Top!Gippal, Forbidden Love, Gippal is oblivious, Gippalai Day, He isn't strong enough, M/M, Not Strong Enough Song, Romance, Submissive/Uke/Bottom!Baralai, angsty, mentioned sex, september 1st, star-crossed lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-01
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-02-15 15:51:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2234703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YaoiLover66/pseuds/YaoiLover66
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Baralai struggles with strength and resistant: he isn't strong enough to resist, and he doesn't have the restraint to be strong enough; and, all blame lies entirely on his comrade, his supposed enemy, and his love-Gippal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Not Strong Enough

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own FFX-2, nor do I own the characters. 
> 
> I also don't own the song, "Not strong enough" by Apocalyptica (this song is something you should listen to while reading this story). This is dedicated to Gippalai Day, which is tomorrow. Kudos, Bookmarks, and comments are appreciated! Thanks <3  
> 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baralai struggles with strength and resistance: he isn't strong enough to resist, and he doesn't have the restraint necessary to be strong enough; and, all blame lies entirely on his comrade, his supposed enemy, and his love-Gippal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Final Fantasy X-2, nor do I own the characters; this fanfiction was inspired by the song, "Not Strong Enough," by Apocalyptica, and it was made for Gippalai Day, which is September 1st.

Baralai struggles with strength and resistance: he isn't strong enough to resist, and he doesn't have the restraint necessary to be strong enough; and, all blame lies entirely on his comrade, his supposed enemy, and his love-Gippal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of 08/12/16, I will begin the reivision of this story. The preceding chapter will be from Baralai's perspective; thank you for reading! ♥


	2. Not Strong Enough - Baralai Style

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baralai struggles with strength and resistance: he isn't strong enough to resist, and he doesn't have the restraint necessary to be strong enough; and, all blame lies entirely on his comrade, his supposed enemy, and his love-Gippal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Final Fantasy X-2, nor do I own the characters; this fanfiction was inspired by the song, "Not Strong Enough," by Apocalyptica, and it was made for Gippalai Day, which is September 1st.
> 
> Also, for future confusion, the spaces, depending on the context, can either represent emphasizes on a specific word, hesitation, or stuttering.
> 
> Example One: "Gippal, do you~do you love me?" This example demonstrates hesitance through spacing.
> 
> Example Two: "Gippal, I l`love you." This example demonstrates stuttering through spacing; you can usually tell when stuttering is occurring through the comma.
> 
> Example Three: "Gippalai is my-life." This example demonstrates emphasis through spacing; the word, "life," is being emphasized.
> 
> Due to being unable to space in this note, the following symbolize represent each purpose:  
> ~ means hesitance  
> ` means stutter  
> \- means emphasis
> 
> These symbols will NOT be used in the story; these symbols are being used for notes and only notes.

The first time it happened had been an accident: we were exhausted, but adrenaline had still been coursing through our veins, begging and pleading to be released in some way, long after we had returned to camp. Nooj and Paine, I recall, had immediately gone to bed inside their shared tent, looking as if they hadn't been at all bothered by the energy continuously pulsing beneath their skins.

I would have followed their example, even though I had been just as affected as a certain blonde haired man, but that Crimson Squad had been blessed with a green eyed Al Bhed that just couldn't-or wouldn't, I suspected-sleep when he was feeling so   energized.

So    alive;    and, it was in that mutual need to release the pent up vibrancy that we     did it. 

To this day, I'm still dumbfounded as to how we had gone from conversing about the fiends we had fought to lying upon my bed with our clothes zipping through the air like arrows; but, it had occurred, and, before I realized it, he had been on top of me,   biting,    licking,    and     sucking     every inch of my dark skin, effectively reducing me into a whimpering mess.

After the intense fumble had passed just as quickly as it had arrived, I had been instantly assaulted by guilt, remorse, and   shame.   The teachings condemns the Al Bhed, says they are   heretics    and     animals    for they use the forbidden:   machina;   but, I still had    slept    with one-   willingly,   and even    enjoyed     it.

I, a    believer,    was someone who had   worshipped   Yevon's teaching and had    religiously    followed its rules for centuries; yet, I had just as voluntarily    betrayed    it for a swift frivolous romp. Long after the start of my inner turmoil, desolation had consumed my sweat glistened body, bruised soul, and afflicted mind, and not even the warmth against my back, created from Gippal's slick, toned, bare chest, could secure me from the proof of my disloyalty.

The remainder of that night had been spent in a frozen state: my body, a still statue, had laid on my right side while my lips had parted to swallow shallow breaths, as I focused all of my attention on my turbulent thoughts and tempestuous emotions, which had rapidly transitioned from grievous guilt to scorching self-loathing; and, when the bright, giant sun had risen in the morning, irrational terror had replaced the emptiness that had hallowed my core through the night. It hadn't been a specific thought or person that had evoked the fear, but, rather, it had been every thing all at once overwhelming me as irrationality had been preceded by irrationality.

"What if Paine or Nooj uncovered proof of my betrayal and lost their respect for me?"

"What if my mistake results in an inability to work and fight alongside Gippal normally?"

"What if I'm unable to proceed with our quest because I complicate my relationship with all my comrades due to these inessential feelings?"

"What if this,    this momentary    weakness    costs me Gippal?"

My irrationality had come to a screeching halt when the last thought had popped in to my frenzied mind. Gippal, besides being an Al Behd and childlike, was a good person and a good comrade, but he had just been that: a    comrade.   

Nothing more.

Not until now; because, somewhere along the broken roads we had traveled and the beds we had laid together upon, Gippal had gradually became something    more:    he became   more   than an acquaintance; he became    more    than a comrade; he became     more     than a friend.

Gippal was     more      because he is the love of my life-had been when we had first became one and would be long after I passed; and, while it had taken me until that one moment to acknowledge my repressed feelings and another two years just to   accept   the desires of my heart, my love for him had grown   bigger,     stronger,    and more     apparent     the more our bodies and souls intertwined in a universal dance.

Loving Gippal hadn't been easy, but I gradually adjusted to the drastic changes love made to my life: I adjusted to the constant dreams filled with Gippal; I adjusted to the continuous thoughts filled with Gippal; I adjusted to the unabating images of Gippal greeting me behind closed eyes; I adjusted to the perpetual need for Gippal's presence; and, I eventually adjusted to the relentless proof of unrequited love. 

Flinching at the harsh reminder of reality, soft brown eyes immediately squeeze shut as hot, salty twinges lick my closed eyes while my lips part, sharply inhale a deep breath, and exhale, allowing the aroma of sweat to tease my senses and loosen my tense muscles.

"Don't you dare cry, Baralai," I silently order as I continue to inhale, hoping and praying to Yevon that the tears, which were threatening to fall, would fade away. "While you haven't exactly "adjusted" to the actuality of unrequited love, you've known this for a long time, three years now, that Gippal doesn't feel the same. The only one you have to blame is yourself for not being strong enough to say, "No, Gippal, I don't want to become one with you again." It's your fault for falling in love with him in the first place."

"I know that, damn it!" I mentally hiss in reply, as my body quakes and quivers before relaxing as a strong arm tightens its grip on my stomach.

"'Top thinkin' so much, Lai," Gippal's rough, groggy voice mumbles against my ear, causing shivers to race down my spine as warm air is puffed into the sensitive area. "I can practically hear your thoughts."

"Sorry," I softly mummer in reply as my dark hand, against my will, reaches up from my lax side to stroke the tan arm still covered in leftover residue from our previous activities; basking in the muscles flexing beneath the feather light touches, I release the breathe I had been holding and all the tension in my body exits with it.

"Yeah; yeah," Gippal hums, pressing his lips against my silver hair glued to my forehead before tightening his grip once more as he settles back into sleep. "Get some sleep, Lai."

"I can't," The words were on the tip of my tongue, eagerly anticipating the moment I would finally confess the secret I've kept for six years, as my heart raged and thundered against my rib cage; but, I'm not Gippal, Pain, or even Nooj.

I'm not    brave    and   strong.

I am a    coward    and     weak.

"Okay," Softly whispering my reply, I snuggle deep into the covers and press my naked back against his warm, always   warm,   form. Brown eyes flutter close for one moment as I cherished the moment where Gippal was    mine-    even if he wasn't; but, like everything in life, the good has to come to an end just like the bad, and, sooner than I desired, morning arrived.

I    hate    mornings,     loathed     it with animosity, because, when the sun was in the high blue sky and when people were awakening from their slumber, I was forced to leave.

I was    forced    to leave the warm bed that spoke of our nightly activities.

I was     forced     to leave the covers neatly folded as if my existence was a mere mirage.

I was      forced      to leave the man I loved with the despondent knowledge that he'd never feel the same.

Tears quickly appear like an immortal cockroach, but I muster all my willpower and shove them away before inhaling and walking out the door, letting it close gentle with a soft click; and, as I made my through the narrow hallway of the shabby inn, I silently form a silent, flimsy promise.

"Next time, I'll be strong enough to say, "No.""

* * *

 "How do you know Gippal doesn't feel the same as you?" Blinking, brown eyes move from the significant documents they had been attentively reading to the window when the abrupt question pops in my mind.

"Why ever in Yevon's name would I ask myself that?" Furrowing my brows, I gently slide off my reading glasses and places it on top of the documents, as I lean back into the desk chair situated behind my study's desk. "While I may be in a one-sided relationship, by no means am I masochistic! Why cause myself any more agony by remembering the day Gippal, albeit unknowingly, broke my heart?"

Heaving a heavy sigh, my gaze blankly views the landscapes towering behind the glass window as a three year old memory gained control of my full attention.

Gasps and pants resonated throughout the quiet room, and the sound of covers rustling followed the echoes of erratic breaths.

"G,   Gippal?" I slowly called my     comrade's name with uncertainty polluting my tone, and my sweaty form tensed up even though Gippal had a warm, comforting arm wrapped around my waist.

"I'm really starting to believe Gippal loves being the big spoon," Silently acknowledging the limb that    always    rested over my abdomen, a small, shy smile covered my lips as I continued my thoughts. "That's all right, though, as I like being his little spoon."

"Hm?" Gippal softly responded, as his faint, gravelly voice effectively breaks me out of my trance; his mouth pressed a light kiss against my silver hair, covered in sweat, as he quickly fell into a deep slumber 

"For a young, vivacious man, he sure is easy to knock out with just a round or two," Quietly snickering at the realization, I pushed all thoughts about Gippal away, sobered up, and focused on the next course of action I planned to take; swollen pink lips purse in a stiff, firm line as I struggled to gather my courage, hoping and praying to Yevon nothing would go wrong.

"Come on, Baralai!" I internally encouraged myself as a suffocating silence descended around our naked forms barely covered by the battered inn's covers. "You've faced fiends, zombies, other crimson squads, and corrupt politicians! What is so dangerous about one   tiny      little    question?"

This hadn't been just one tiny little question, though. It hadn't been an   insignificant,      irrelevant    inquire about a   trivial   topic. This had bee a question that my           heart       and     life     depended on; and, if Gippal said any thing negative, any thing that could potentially shatter my heart, I would break completely and would end up living a life filled with nothing but misery and heartache.

    "However,"     White teeth clamped down on my bottom lip as the possible answers flew by inside my head as I continued the silent conversation I had with myself,    "However,    if it's something positive, something that could protect and rebuild my heart, I'll be able to live life while being happy and never regretting anything I do anymore.

"Come on, Baralai! You can do it!" Mentally encouraging myself, brown eyes fluttered close as I inhaled deeply before exhaling.

"If,    I,    do you,"   I stumbled over my words, as my dark cheeks flushed a blood blush while I attempted to fade back into the Baralai I knew was perfectly    articulate.

"Do I what, Lai?" Gippal pushed me to continue the sentence hanging in the air; his tan hand gently painted geometrical shapes on my stomach, as he propped himself up on the white pillow with his elbow stabilizing his posture.

No words were spoken for a while, as my teeth nibbled at my bottom lip while I tried to ease my storming heart.

"D   Do you e   ever want,     want more from,    from something?" I finally forced the question out of my mouth, internally wincing at how shaky and un-Baralai it sounded as apprehension dripped from every word.

"Do I ever want more from something?" Gippal parroted as bewilderment colored his voice. "What do you mean, Lai?"

"I,   I mean it's,   I don't,"    Letting the sentence trail off, my cheeks lit with red flames once I realized how I sounded like a fool.

"Yevon! Baralai, stop talking. You're just making yourself sound stupid in front of the man you love," I silently upbraided myself; my brown eyes lowered to the weak, cracked wooden floor as my heart sighed in resignation.

"It's nothing, Gippal," I finally spoke, my teeth biting my tongue to hold back the tears I felt swelling up in my eyes. "just    just go back to bed."

"Are    Are you sure, Lai?" Gippal's voice begged for clarification, and his green eyes drilled holes in the back of my head as he straightened his posture and sat up. "I mean, is there something you want to say?"

"No," Whispering my faint refute, I burrowed my face into the pillow as I compelled my body to relax in Gippal's hold. "I'm just tired; please just ignore me and return to sleep."

"Right. Okay. Yeah. That's    that's fine," Gippal finally murmured after a pregnant pause, the covers shifting as he settled back down into the mattress. "Well, goodnight, Lai."

"Goodnight, Gippal," Returning the stiff gesture, I closed my brown eyes and kicked down the hope rising when I heard disappointment ringing through Gippal's tone.

"Don't be stupid, Baralai; why would Gippal be disappointed?" I bitterly thought as I balled my hands into tight fists and allowed the tears to escape their prison and gracefully glide down my heated cheeks. "I'm not strong enough to even ask the question that would give me a clue as to how Gippal truly feels for me. I'm a    coward; and, I'm    weak.    I can't even gather the courage to tell Gippal I love him, and I can't stand the thought of him not feeling the same."

"I'm not strong enough to be brave," Melancholy resignation sang sorrowful tunes from that final thought as I drifted off into a restless slumber.

* * *

The second time had also been an accident, and it had occurred two weeks after the first "accident." We had just fought a fiend, one that no other squad had been able to defeat, and won-we had slayed it right to the ground; so, like any other team that had been fueled by the sweet taste of victory, we had decided to celebrate our accomplishment, and, soon, we found ourselves in a bar.

We drank, Pain and Nooj excluded for they thought Gippal was being childish (though they had said it in Pain and Nooj's way of saying, "We're fond of you nonetheless.") and had retired to their separate rooms we had rented in the inn. At first, I did not want to "celebrate" either, for drinking commonly destroys a person's control and restraint; and, with the utter disarray of my unacceptable emotions, I had been concerned I would act impulsively and irrationally. In addition, the battle had left me mentally and physically fatigued as well as wounded from the numerous, fresh attacks the vile creature had repeatedly struck me with. So, I had been in no mood for drinks or cheers; but, then Gippal had turned to me, his green eyes wide and beseeching, and he asked in that   tone,   one that was enticing and persuasive, and one that he knew that I could never say no to, to celebrate with him.

Before I had realized it, I found myself on a hard stool, a TV hanging above our heads, slowly nursing an alcoholic beverage-the name of which I just couldn't be bothered with-while Gippal downed his drink like a man who finally escaped from a Bikanel Island. I had planned on having only   one   alcoholic beverage, but then Gippal had noticed my hesitancy and pleaded for me to celebrate with him.

"Come on, Lai!" He had said. "We just kicked that fiend's hiny all the way to next year! That calls for some serious celebration, and I can't celebrate all by my lonesome self."

Like any sane person, since Gippal was obviously    not    sane, I faltered until Gippal spoke in that tone again; and, soon, I surrendered and had drank another beverage and another one. A cycle of intoxication began as Gippal had bought me round after round until the quantity of beverages had drowned in a swimming sea.

"I don't remember much from that night," Acknowledging the truth of that silent statement, I shift in my bed as I flip over and close my eyes, not even bothering to fight the leftovers from that memory, one of the millions I always experience at some part of the day. "but I do recall the significant parts, like how eye-blinding bright the lights were, how utterly intoxicated we were, how filthy the words we whispered to one another were, how cold the air was on my naked body once we entered our room and staggered to one of the double beds, how searing Gippal's tongue felt as it traced over my neck and chest, and how embarrassing the noises that escaped my lips were."

"If those details hadn't been explicit enough, the snakes feasting on my lower back the next morning had been," The corners of my lips twitch in a smile before I shifted my position in my bed once more as sleep began luring me into its darkness. "At least I was able to make a promise I've been able to keep-I haven't drank since that day."

* * *

The third time Gippal and I had made love, or at least it was love to me, had happened a month after the second incident, and it was,    well, it was accidental, Gippal can claim, but it was actually intentionally. Gippal had gotten wasted again, for we had defeated another fiend and desired a celebration for one of their many accomplishments; but, at that time, I had thankfully maintained my promise and had been completely sober. Unfortunately, I had failed to notice the personalities Gippal displayed when intoxicated: the first one was desire.

During his desire phase, Gippal turned into flirtatious man that flirted with    anything.    He, I remembered, had even been flirting with a chair on one occasion; and, second personality Gippal conveyed during intoxication was    lust.

During his lust phase, Gippal turned into an insatiable creature. Nothing could satisfy his appetite; he always needed    more     and      more.     By then, I had finally accepted my feelings for Gippal and had resigned myself as a hopeless, lovesick fool; so, when Gippal had chosen me as his victim, whispering promises of a mind blowing night and a eternal, devoted love, I had quickly relinquished all my control and had willingly fallen into his trap.

After that night, when Gippal had been sound asleep with his arms curled around my waist and my back against his chest, I had realized my fatal weakness that grew more accurate each time I saw, felt, and loved Gippal: I'm not strong enough to stay away.

* * *

What number is it this time?

Ten, fifteen, twenty?

I don't    know;    I've lost track. The moments, the   sweat,     moans,      gasps,     and begs for      more,      all end up blending together, creating this haziness that sometimes makes me wonder if I'm dreaming.

Am I dreaming?

Is all this   fiction,    make believe?

The feel of Gippal's skin over mine-is it    fake?

The words he whispers, those    sweet,    considerate words whispered with so much     love     that it physically    hurts    me-are they even     real?

The moment when he    enters    me, my muscles instantly clamping down and creating that feeling of    wholeness-   the feeling as if we were each other's two missing puzzle pieces and we had finally reconnected to make a picturesque picture-is it all in my    head?

Some days, I believe that, believe    myself,    and it's moments like these, when he's slowly moving in and being so    caring    and     concerned     for me, that makes me think it's all just a dream; but, it's the moments that follow, the aftermath bliss that we both wear like costumes, that makes me realize something: How can this be a dream, when it all feels so    real,    so      right?

Some days, I really do wish it was real. I wish that Gippal    did    love me like he does in my fantasies and that the sex we have together is actually love making in disguise.

Other days, the days when morning comes far too soon for my pleasure, I wish it was all a dream; because, then I could wake up when the irrepressible feelings of hurt and desperation become too much and shake it off like the bad dream it was.

Unfortunately for me, I'm a sensible and logical guy; so, I know the truth, which instantly shatters my already brittle spirit into thousands of pieces.

This is reality-   not    a dream.

* * *

"I love you," Three words, words I've kept caged inside my heart for six years, slip out of my mouth before I can even stop them.

Gippal's lips instantly freeze in their tracks along my neck, and his body mirrors his actions.

"Oh, Yevon," My brown eyes widen into saucers plates when I hear my darkest secret thrown out into the air for all to see, and the only logical thought processing through my mind is nothing more than a simple curse. "Oh, Yevon."

Faster than a cheetah, I pull away from the suddenly cold embrace and shoot towards the door; my heart palpitates in my chest as I replay the scene over and over in my head while my legs race me through the soundless halls of Bevelle.

"How in Yevon's name could you be so stupid?" Humiliation happily greets my hysterical thoughts as I clench my eyes shut and grit my teeth, mentally berating myself over and over for ruining the one good thing I had. "Damn it Baralai! How could you be so stupid? Of all times, this is the moment where you finally confess your love for Gippal? Right now? When Gippal's sucking your neck like a vampire, you finally get the courage to tell him how you feel?"

"Damn it!" The thunderous roar that leaves my lips reverberates through the hallway and shakes my trembling form, as I continue running, I command my legs to move faster when I hear my name being called by the last person I wanted to see.

"Slow down, Baralai!" Gippal screams from behind, his voice just as loud and distraught as mine.

"Damn Yevon!" I silently curse as I run into a dead end; my brown eyes frantically search for an escape as my heart continues to erratically, irregularly beat against my rib cage, threatening to pop right out and bare the scars of love to the man who caused them. "Damn Yevon!"

Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump

My heart beats against my chest like a wardrum, as the sound of Gippal's footsteps approaching grows   louder   and    louder.

Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump

"Baralai," His tormented voice, so close to my trapped form, is a chaotic whisper and is so      loud      compared to the graveyard around us.

Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump

Slowly, as if possessed by some unknown fiend, I turn around to face my demise.

Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump

"Six years," I continue to gradually turn my body to face Gippal as I close off all emotions and focus on my thoughts. "Six years I've kept my feelings inside, never telling any one how I truly felt about Gippal, especially the man himself."

Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump

"I'm a    coward,"    I maintain my inner conversation. "I'm    weak.    I'm not strong enough. Never was. I wasn't strong enough to tell Gippal my feelings. I wasn't strong enough to say no. I was never strong enough-not when it comes to you, Gippal."

Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump

Brown eyes finally clash with green orbs, resignation resonating through my eyes as I await the verdict that would either shatter me into pieces or repair every crack in my armor.

Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump

"Baralai, I    geez you can't just    I mean I,"    Gippal falters and stumbles over his words. as his green eyes widen and his tan face pales while he tries, in vain, to tell me as nicely as possible how he isn't interested; but it was all right because I understood exactly what he was attempting to say.

"I know, Gippal," Softening my face but keeping it neutral, I begin responding as naked pained sorrow unwillingly creeps into my tone. "I know I didn't mean for that to-"

"No! Damn it, Baralai, you've got it all wrong!" Gippal interrupts my placation with a snarl, his hands coming up and harshly tugging at his spiky blond hair that defied gravity. "I    I'm not good with words, Lai, you know I'm not; I'm not like you with your perfect articulation and everything. I    I'm just me, plain ole Gippal that works better with his hands than his mouth."

Pink lips remain close as I observe my Al Behd with fear and smudges of hope.

"I mean    what I'm trying to say is    damn it!" Releasing a feral scream, Gippal's legs pace around in a circle, like a lion trapped inside a cage, while his hands roughly tugged at his blond locks. "I    fuck it!"

Before I can say or do anything, Gippal rushes towards me and grabs me by my collar. Brown eyes instinctively close, as I begin bracing myself for the ache of fist meeting flesh; but, instead of pain, I feel a soft pressure against my lips. Snapping my eyelids open, I stare at Gippal's, very close, face in shock, only exiting from my trance when his lips begins passionately moving against mine in a familiar dance, one we'd engage in for half a decade now.

"This is my last kiss," I suddenly realize, and my heart clenches and twists in knots at the despairing thought. "Well, if this is the last time I can ever kiss Gippal, then I'll take it for what it's worth."

So, I return the romantic act, matching Gippal's vigor with my own repressed passion.

It was only after we both pulled away, our lips red and swollen and our breathings labored, did I finally hear the words I never thought I'd hear.

"I love you, Baralai."

Brown eyes widen in suprise, looking into green eyes that were glittering with sincerity, before a smile pulls over my lips.

Pressing my lips back against Gippal's, I finally enjoy the moment as all insecurities and doubt fade away; no longer would I have to worry about it all being one-sided or just a dream because I    know    he loves me Just as I know my heart beats for    this-   for our     love.

"I'm not strong enough to stay away," I silently tell myself as I pull away and bury my red face in the crook of Gippal's tan neck, allowing my arms to tightly wrap around his neck as my hands caressed his soft hair in a way I never had done before because I had thought my love was unrequited. "but, that's all right; because, I've finally realized that I don't have to be strong anymore-not with    you,    Gippal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of 08/12/16, I will begin the reivision of this story. The preceding chapter will be from Gippal's perspective, but this may not be uploaded for a while due to real life responsibilities; thank you for reading! ♥
> 
> As of 08/13/16, the revisions of NSE have been completed.

**Author's Note:**

> As of 8/12/16, I will begin the revision of this story; preceding this chapter will be another part of, "Not Strong Enough," or NSE for short, that will focus on the events from Gippal's perspective. However, this chapter may not be uploaded for a while due to real life responsibilities. Thank you for reading! ♥


End file.
